August 2019 Favorites

One of the things that really helps me to feel blessed and grateful is recapping all the great things that happened during the month.  I also have a paper notebook where I make lists of things that make me happy on a regular basis.  I also keep track of my doings in Google Calendar so that I remember all the stuff I did and with whom.  This blog really helps me remember with photos and words too.  That’s why whenever I think about giving up blogging, I end up always coming back to it.  Because it’s good for my mental health, and good for my soul to remember the good things in my life.

This is a recap of some of my favorite things from August 2019.

I had lunch with my long-time work friend Susan at Piacere Mio.  I also had lunch with my good friend Anne at Urbane Cafe.  I need to be better at taking photos with friends when I have lunch with them.  We had dinner with my long-time friend Sally (since I was 12!) at Ryoma Ramen.  Todd was there too so I did get a photo!

I’ve been walking outside regularly and listening to podcasts while walking.  I walked up the hill to the street where our first house in San Diego was.  Yes, we were totally those people who fell in love with a house in our own neighborhood and moved two streets over!  We moved into that house in Feb 2000, then sold it and moved into our current house in Oct 2001, so we were only in that house for less than two years.  However, I never realized how beautiful and huge our neighbors’ houses were up there.  I walked by this one with a 4-car garage and  ocean view. 

I just never even realized that my neighbors had 4-car garages, for some reason.  It seems really extreme… but we don’t have basements in SoCal and people are always hurting for more storage space.  Although I’d say just own less stuff, ha ha.

One of the highlights of August was flying to Ohio to see Todd’s family and for Todd’s 30th high school reunion.  And his sister Amy’s good timing of giving birth to her 2nd son while we were there!

We flew there on Southwest and somehow on both legs of the flight, we got exit rows.  Todd had some really awesome legroom! 

Meeting Pierce for the first time!  (Older one is his big bro Quinn.)

Having lunch with one of Todd’s oldest and goodest friends from high school, Joe, and his brother George.

Turned in our first electric car, a Kia Soul EV. 

And then buying a used 2017 BMW i3 EV.

Going to the Padres vs Colorado Rockies game on 8/10.  And eating Carnitas Snack Shack food inside the stadium.  The weather couldn’t have been more perfect.  Sunny, breezy, and not hot.  So San Diego.

Celebrating my dad’s 75th birthday with lots of his friends, and getting to see my sister Joyce and my nephew Andrew again.

Todd’s last softball game with his team Purple Reign on 8/14.  They lost so they didn’t get to go on in the playoffs.

We've had a fun summer with Todd's company softball team Purple Reign! Because I don't work now, I was able to attend about five games this year. It was so fun to watch them improve, and watch Todd become a reliable hitter, outfielder, first baseman, and first and third base coach. I really admire Todd's ability to participate in things he loves, have fun, and make friends. He's a good example to me of someone who enjoys life to the max and MAKES fun happen for himself. So inspiring!

We found a new-to-us Persian supermarket and restaurant – North Park Produce in Poway.  The food there was SO good!  Here’s Todd’s chicken shawarma with hummus.

We watched two movies at the theater:  The Farewell and Where’d You Go Bernadette.  I had listened to the Fresh Air podcast episode where Terry Gross interviewed the filmmaker Lulu Wang about The Farewell, based on her family’s real life lie.  I was intrigued and made sure to see the movie.  I had read the book “Where’d You Go Bernadette?”  by Maria Semple several years ago and really enjoyed its quirkiness, so I enjoyed the movie adaptation as well. 

One dish we made twice this month that we really enjoyed is White Balsamic and Tarragon Chicken.  We made it for Todd’s family while visiting Ohio, and we made it another time at home.  Yummy!

Here it is with the olive relish, along with an Aloo Gobi side dish.

The very end of August (8/31), our favorite time of the year started.  Its college football season!  We celebrated by watching ESPN College Gameday, watching Ohio State beat Florida Atlantic, and eating homemade nachos.

Some Noodle cuteness happened this month as well.  Always makes me happy to see his antics!